Don Bosco Challenge Cup 2016- In Memory of the seven students of Kinara tragedy

by Prasad bhutkar February 11, 2016

The Don Bosco Challenge Cup 2016 begins this Sunday i.e 14th February. It will go on till 13th March 2016. The month long tournament is dedicated to the Seven Students who lost their life in the Hotel City Kinara tragedy last October. It is organized  by Dos Bosco Centre of Learning remembering the Seven students, ‘ Gone Too Soon’. With Major support from Mr Nitesh Rajhans Singh.

Everyone in Mumbai is well aware that the Don Bosco Institution is famous for its footballing prowess. This tournament is being played in the memory of the seven students who lost their life in the Hotel City Kinara fire tragedy. The names of these students are Taha Shaikh, Sarjeel Shaikh, Akash Thapa, Brian Fernando, Sajid Chaudhary, Irvin D’Souza and Bernadette D’Souza. It is very difficult for the parents of these seven wonderful footballers to get past this tragedy. We cannot bring them back but we surely can keep their memories alive by organizing a tournament dedicated to them. It would be a fighting tribute to the young brigade ‘Gone Too Soon’.

The venue of this high statured tournament is Don Bosco’s very old and famous Ground near Kohinoor City, Kurla(West). This ground has witnessed some very great football games, organized some really big tournaments and undoubtedly produced some of the finest national players of this country. More than a Silver Jubilee national players have graced the ground with their presence till date including our very own, highly popular, ever so graceful Steven Dias. Steven Dias is one of the truly great players to have played on this ground. Football Counter and every football fan in Mumbai salutes the organizing committee of Don Bosco and every involved in this tournament to make it possible. This surely is an example set for everyone. And once again Football has united everyone who truly believes in this beautiful game.

The prizes announced for this tournament surely will better the competition. The Winners will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 25000 plus the winners trophy. The Runners-up will get Rs 20000 plus the runners-up trophy. The 3rd place team nick a prize money of Rs 10000 with the 3rd place trophy. The essence of this tournament is to also honour teams on the basis of fairplay. The team with the best fairplay wiill receive a prize amount of Rs 5000 including a fairplay trophy.

The tournament organisers were also delighted to announce the individual awards which will be judged from the quarter-final round to the final of the tournament.

1. Best Goalkeeper: Rs 2000 plus trophy
2.  Best Forward: Rs 2000 plus trophy
3.  Best Defender: Rs 2000 plus trophy

The organizing committee has restricted entries upto 16 teams. Teams from MDFA Elite, Super and First Division can participate. The teams have been split into two groups A and B consisting on 8 teams each. The matches for the opening Sunday with the timings are as follows :-

1. 9:30 am – Uniited Boys v/s Don Bosco’B’ -> Group B
2. 10:30 am -Don Bosco’A’ vs HolyCross -> Group A
3. 11:30am- Young Boys v/s Bank of India -> Group A
4.  12:30pm – Veninza XI v/s Soccer Raiders -> Group B

The Guidelines ,Rules and Regulations

1. The matches will consist of 8 outfield player with 6 being standby. Only 3 changes are allowed , so the total number of player in a team will be 14. Plus one guy the team manager
2. The entry fees for per team is Rs 2000.
3. Each half will be played of 25 minutes plus 5 minutes interval
4. In case of a draw, the match will be decided on tiebreaker rules
5.  The tournament has been registered under Mumbai District Football Association and the matches will be played under FIFA rules
6. The teams must report 30 minutes before the schedule which will help avoiding any inconvenience.
7. the managing committee is not responsible to cover insurances of any player in case any injury occurs. But First Aid will be provided during the match.
8. The organizing committee has the right to uphold any decisions taken in respect to the guidelines, rules and regulations.